AddictingGames announces virtual items platform for its huge online games site

Will the last remaining company in casual games who has not adapted a free-to-play, virtual items business model turn the lights out? I think we’ll be staring in the light for a long time.

AddictingGames has announced the launch of its own virtual currency platform. The web site will continue to sell ads which it claims is still a robust business, but now it will offer AddictingGames Bucks that can be used to buy virtual goods in any participating games on the site.

AddictingGames is part of the Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group portfolio of digital sites, which serves kids, tweens and teens, and parents. The portfolio of sites draws 115 million total visits; 1.3 billion page views; and 54.4 minutes for average time spent per visitor, according to March’s comScore Media Metrix.

With every company offering virtual items, game companies better hope their game players want to pay and play this way and that it is not too much of a good thing. How many virtual items across thousands of games can one person buy?